Taeyeon stops in front of a huge house. She’s amazed by the grandness of it.

‘, her cousin’s loaded.’

The house itself makes her feel small, worthless, but it doesn’t stop her from getting out of her car and walking up to the front door. She texted Tiffany a few minutes ago that she was almost there. When the small girl’s about to knock, the door swings open, and Taeyeon’s greeted by a tall brunette with fairly tanned skin. She makes Taeyeon feel very, very short.

“Taeyeon, right?” She asks, and Taeyeon dumbly nods. “Cool, come on in. Tiffany’s in my room. I’m Summer by the way.” The tall brunette, or Summer, gestures over to a hallway that leads to the stairs.

“Thanks.” The shorter girl mumbles as she steps into the luxurious home. She hears chatter and music come from the other side of the house, most likely coming from the backyard.

“Can you do me a favor Taeyeon?” Summer’s voice is almost a whisper as they make their way through the first steps of the stairs.

“Depends,” Taeyeon answers, and Summer stops climbing the stairs. “If I’m able to.” Taeyeon finishes as she stops right behind the taller girl. Taeyeon thinks that Summer can easily get a job as a model.

Summer turns to her, wearing a grin. “I like that.” Taeyeon looks at her confused. “Your honesty.” The tan girl clears. “Not a lot of people are honest with me once the find out my dad makes more than their parents ever will.” Taeyeon seems to understand the girl and nods to let Summer know that her apprehension of the situation.

The taller girl shows a closed-mouthed smile. “Tiffany was right. You’re not much of a talker are you?” Taeyeon feels her ears turn warm. She’s a bit taken aback that Tiffany talks about her, and she’s also a bit embarrassed. Summer chuckles amused to see that the girl is easy to tease. “Anyway, take care of her, would you? She’s been pushing us away, but, from what I heard, she talks to you.”

“Of course.” Taeyeon would do anything to comfort the other girl.

They fall into a silence once more as the walk to Summer’s room. Summer tells Taeyeon that she’ll be downstairs in the main living room if either of them needs her. Taeyeon thanks her once more before she faces Summer’s room door and knocks. A small voice tells Taeyeon to come in, and she steps in.

It’s a bit dark inside the room, with only a small lamp lighting up all four corners. Taeyeon is quick to notice a small form sitting next to the window, it’s ledge is big enough to make a small sitting area. Taeyeon thinks it’s a smart idea to save space in a room, but it’s not like the room even needs it. 

“Tiffany,” Taeyeon calls out to the girl who is trying to wipe away the tears staining her flushed cheeks. The shorter girl doesn’t think twice to sit next to the younger girl. “How are you feeling?” A sniffle comes from Tiffany, she doesn’t respond right away. “I don’t know… I feel like… I don’t know.. I just miss her, and I just don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“How they’re just so carefree. My mom’s not here. Don’t they get that?” Tiffany asks as she wipes her nose with a tissue. Her site glued to the floor as she speaks her thoughts. Taeyeon sadly smiles as she scoots closer to Tiffany and slowly wraps her arm around the girl, bringing Tiffany closer to her. Tiffany doesn’t think much about the action and rests her head on Taeyeon’s shoulder. 

“Can’t say much on their part, but what I do know is that it hurts to remember.” Taeyeon gives Tiffany’s shoulder a small squeeze. “Doesn’t it?”

“It does…” Tiffany says through a defeated sigh. “I just miss her so much, Tae.”

“I know you do.” Taeyeon can’t help but remember the time when she missed her own birth mother. She didn’t talk back then. Mr. and Mrs. Kim would try their best to get her to talk, but she wouldn’t budge. The only words she would ever say were, “I want my mom.” Taeyeon knows it pained both her parents to know that she wasn’t very accepting of them at first when she arrived at the home. “I haven’t told you.”

Tiffany didn’t move from her position, she felt comforted the way Taeyeon held her. “What?”

Taeyeon doesn’t answer Tiffany. She can’t help but think that no one knows except her family and her old therapist. This would be her first time talking about it to someone else, someone who doesn’t know, someone who she’s entrusting this important information about herself. “Well… I-” No one knows. “I-” Taeyeon feels constrict. “I’m… adopted.” Her voice is but a mere whisper as she said it.

Tiffany leans away from Taeyeon’s embrace to see the girl’s face. She’s stunned. She never thought… she looks like… and acts…. Tiffany’s speechless.

Taeyeon tries to smile as she sees Tiffany’s surprised face. She can see every emotion that passes through Tiffany’s confused eyes, causing Taeyeon to force an awkward laugh. “Surprise.” This is definitely something that Taeyeon never thought she’d be sharing with anyone, and yet here she is with the girl she loves. But, due to the circumstances, Taeyeon thinks that she did the right decision even though it’s painfully awkward because she doesn’t know how Tiffany will react to it, and so far, she’s not liking the results.

The once bright girl finally snaps out of her initial shock. It never crossed Tiffany’s mind that Taeyeon could ever be adopted, then again, Taeyeon being adopted does explain a lot of things, like for one, partially some of the characteristics. Tiffany can see some of Mr. and Mrs. Kim in Taeyeon, but there was always a part of Taeyeon that Tiffany was so intrigued by, wondering where did Taeyeon get it?

Now that Taeyeon has said it, a lot of things do make sense now. Tiffany always wondered if Taeyeon’s parents had her at an early age because Mr. and Mrs. Kim were not as old as her dad. They looked about ten years younger than her parents.

And then it sinks in… Taeyeon’s adopted, meaning that something happened to her birth parents. Tiffany can only think about the worst when she absorbs the information, and then she feels like an idiot. Taeyeon lost both of her birth parents and here she is with at least her dad still in her life. Taeyeon didn’t get that privilege. “I’m sorry. Here I am crying about-”

“Don’t.” Taeyeon cuts Tiffany off, “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. It’s not mine. It’s there’s. And don’t look at me that way.”

“Huh?” Tiffany blinks. What is Taeyeon talking about?

“Pitying me, beating yourself up because you think my situation is worse than yours because it’s not.” Taeyeon feels a bit angered with the other girl. It’s not the end of the world for her. Her parents leaving her is the best thing that has ever happened to her. Screw her birth parents. They didn’t want her, so why should she let them have any control of her life now that she has her real mom and dad. To Taeyeon, her birth parents are dead. She’s Sarah and David’s daughter, not those idiots that left her life.

“I’m sorry.” Tiffany a bit taken aback, “It’s just…. I don’t know….”

Taeyeon nods. “I know.” Now she feels bad. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. It’s just… It’s not.. what you think it is..”

“May I ask what it is?” Now that Tiffany knows, she doesn’t want to push Taeyeon if she doesn’t want to talk about the subject in detail, just saying it is more than enough for Tiffany. It means a lot that Taeyeon’s willing to share this information with her. She’s also pretty sure that Taeyeon isn’t one to share her life story with anyone. Tiffany feels very many things once she realizes that Taeyeon shared this very important piece of herself with her.

Taeyeon nods. Her therapist said she’d have to open up to someone in the future, she just never thought the moment would come sooner rather than later. “I…” She sheepishly rubs the back of her neck. She feels a bit nervous for some weird reason. “Well, long story short, my actual ‘mother’ gave me up and they don’t know anything about my bastard of a father. But don’t feel bad about it. Those two people don’t dictate my life, and they never will.”

Tiffany sadly smiles as she leans into Taeyeon once more. She feels Taeyeon’s warm hand caress her back, rubbing small comforting circles. She searches for Taeyeon’s other hand and holds it in her own. Taeyeon, in response, gives a small squeeze.

“I think I was about 6 or 7 when Sarah and David first adopted me.” Taeyeon continues to talk. She doesn’t know why she suddenly feels the urge to talk about it. “They got me from my first foster family. I don’t even know why they decided to adopt me since I was a quiet child that didn’t play with the other kids that were in the system too. Sarah said it was because I was special… whatever that means.” Taeyeon doesn’t know why, but she chuckles at the memory. “Sarah always tried to be nice and she’d always try to make me feel like I was apart of their family…” She smiles bitterly as she feels Tiffany play with her fingers. “Let’s just say I wasn’t the best kid. I said things that I totally regret now, but…” She tries to remember, “At the time, I really just really missed my mom and wondered when she was coming back.

“So, what I’m trying to say is that, yeah, I.. I kind of know how it feels to miss your mom.” 

Tiffany looks up to meet Taeyeon’s gaze, and her heart beat suddenly starts to beat rapidly once she realizes that they’re mere inches away from each other. “Thank you.” She's mostly touched by the mere fact that Taeyeon's trying her best to comfort, to relate in some sense to her. It's something that hasn't been done with anyone because no one seems to understand, to long for a mother. Taeyeon understands, somewhat, but she understands and that's all Tiffany needs.

Taeyeon feels Tiffany’s warm breath on her lips. She can’t help but think that if she were to lean in, their lips would touch. She then wonders if Tiffany’s lips are soft or how they would feel and taste against her own. “What for?”

“For sharing that with me,” Tiffany says as her eyes remain on Taeyeon’s. She sees Taeyeon’s eyes travel down to her lips, and she’s suddenly blushing, thinking that it might be possible that Taeyeon’s thinking what she’s thinking. 

A kiss, just inches away.

Tiffany’s mouth is suddenly dry, and she quickly dismisses the thought and leans away from Taeyeon, creating a comfortable space where Tiffany can think clearly. “For opening up to me like this. I know this isn’t exactly easy for you.” And for distracting her. She definitely needed a distraction.

Taeyeon smiles. “It never was. My therapist would get frustrated sometimes.” She laughs at the memory, “And then she found out that I would sing from time to time.”

A smile reaches Tiffany’s eyes, “Did she make you sing?” She can almost see a small Taeyeon singing in a room with her therapist.

“I did so willingly. It was one way to get her to shut up.” Taeyeon grunted and Tiffany giggled. “You’re so mean… What did you sing?”

“What? She can be damn annoying and she knows it.” Taeyeon defends herself. Tiffany rolls her eyes. “So?”

Taeyeon gives a lopsided smile. “I would choose at least one song each session and explain why I chose it. It was an agreement we did, and then she’d let me do whatever the hell I wanted for the rest of the time until my mom had to pick me up.”

“What songs did you chose?”

Taeyeon winces at the memory. “A lot of Avril.”

“Oh god.” Tiffany can’t help but laugh. She can totally picture it.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Avril has some good songs when you're a kid.”

Tiffany tries hard to stop herself from laughing because what Taeyeon said is true. “Ok, yeah, you’re right. She does have some good songs.”

Taeyeon nods. “You know... There was a song I always found myself going back to…”

Tiffany notices the sudden change of Taeyeon’s tone of voice. “What was it?” The shorter girl turns to look at Tiffany after she realizes that Tiffany asked her a question. She contemplates on whether she should tell her or….

“ I can be tough. I can be strong. But with you, it’s not like that at all.” Taeyeon sings, and Tiffany thinks she knows the song. She’s mostly enticed by Taeyeon’s voice. “There’s a girl, that gives a . Behind this wall, you’ve just walked through it...”

And then Tiffany remembers what Taeyeon is singing. It was one of Avril’s most played song. The awed girl suddenly has an urge to join the shorter girl once her voice fades. “And I remember, all those crazy things you said. You left them running through my head. You're always there, you're everywhere. But right now I wish you were here.”

Taeyeon feels the courage to jump into the pre-chorus once she hears Tiffany’s soft voice. In the beginning, she was a bit shy about singing in front of Tiffany, but as soon as the letter jumped right in, those feeling of insecurity vanished. “All those crazy things we did. Didn't think about it, just went with it. You're always there, you're everywhere. But right now I wish you were here.”

The two girls then found themselves singing the chorus together. “Damn, damn, damn, What I'd do to have you. Here, here, here. I wish you were here. Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you. Near, near, near. I wish you were here.” They’re voices harmonizing with one another as they continued the song. It was almost as if they were made for one another.

Tiffany sings the second verse.“I love. The way you are. It's who I am. Don't have to try hard. We always say. Say it like it is. And the truth. Is that I really mi-I-iss.” She feels like the verse was made for her.

The two girls continue to sing the song, harmonizing, connecting with one another with the words of the song. Tiffany can’t help but think of her mom throughout the entire song, tears slowly escaping her eyes and running down her cheeks. She truly misses her mom. Taeyeon can’t help but squeeze Tiffany’s hand throughout the song as they sing, she hears as Tiffany’s voice should crack at certain points, but the bright girl would push on. 

Their voices echo through the entire room once the song ends. Neither of them utters a word as they stare at each other. Each filled with different emotions until a sudden clap brings their attention to the source. 

“Wow.” Summer says as she leans on the wall by her closed door. “You two should like be in a band.”

Taeyeon and Tiffany look at each other before they start to erupt in a laughter. Their sudden woes disappear without a second thought, and Summer stands there looking at them confused at what she might have said. “What?”

Taeyeon shakes her head as she tries to fight a blush from forming on her cheeks.

“You guys sang great! What did I say?”

–––

I'm late. I know. Life's been kicking my lately, sorry!

At least, it was a longer update, right?

Hoped you guys liked! I'll try to update again soon!!